Fishing vessels to have Nationals as captains by April 2006 - UAE Interact

---QUOTE---
Only UAE nationals will be employed as captains of fishing boats in the country by en of April next year. The decision to make it mandatory for captains to be UAE nationals was aimed at attracting more local fishermen to the trade and to boost the local fishing industry. According to statistics at the ministry, of the 18,758 fishermen now in the country, only 27 per cent are UAE nationals. A recent meeting of the Dubai Fishing Regulation Committee outlined several measures to be undertaken in order to fulfil the requisites laid down in the fisheries law. The committee will look into applications for licenses to fishermen, fishing boats, captains and crewmembers, in addition to fishing gears and equipment. Under the new regulation, a new fee structure for services rendered to fishermen and the co-operative societies has been introduced from May 1.
---UNQUOTE---

No word on what a captain is defined to be or what working conditions are like aboard ship. If I was comfortably well off I don't think I'd be anxious to be captain of a fishing ship in the Gulf. I suspect this idea will go the way of nationalization of Saudi taxis.